Advocating for Change: Title IX and Your Safety

In order to continue the improvement of Title IX education on Alma College’s campus, the Voices Enabling Equality club and signatories request that:

I) A position separate from the Vice President for Student Life be created and filled to meet Title IX’s requirements that each educational institute have a Title IX Coordinator

II) Advisors to fraternities and coaches of teams with cis-gendered males speak with the groups they are leaders of on the Title IX issues such as diversity, sexual assault, and harassment at least once each semester

III) That administration appear before students in person when extreme incidents such as accusations of sexual assault or other matters which disturb a portion of campus occur in order to discuss how Alma College will respond to such situations

IV) That the training given to freshman and student-mandated reporters during orientation week have follow up sessions to ensure retention

The first proposal acknowledges the positive efforts made by Dr. Nick Piccolo, but recognizes that handling cases of Title IX violations is a full time job. To mirror the departments committed to Title IX at larger schools, Alma College ought to dedicate one full time position to this job.

The second proposal is made due to the fact that current Title IX education on campus focuses on prevention and demographics with a greater likelihood to have Title IX violated against them. The most likely demographic to commit Title IX violations, cis-gendered men, should thus have a training catered to them in order to shift the discussion away from victim blaming and toward holding all accountable to being educated on and beholden to Title IX.

The third proposal is made in the hopes that students can have more open dialogue with administration on serious issues of sexual assault on Alma’s campus as well as the flux of Title IX nationally. Personable meetings rather than campus wide emails may also serve to build trust in that administration truly cares about this subject and is working along students to understand and prevent Title IX violations.

The fourth proposal is made due to the fast paced nature and heavy content of orientation week. Additionally some students have said that despite training, RAs are in a similar position and fail to retain all that they learn about Title IX between all their other training obligations.

VEE club will be following up on our requests by meeting with administration and offering assistance in constructing a plan for how to guarantee the most participation and effective education.